New to us piano

I found a Yamaha piano on craigslist and Jeremy bought it for me... It is my birthday present this year. All of us are playing it. Jeremy plays Music together songs, I play when Sonia lets me for a few minutes at a time. She plays and sings along in tune with what she is playing ;-) Feo doesn't play. He just chills on a couch.Feo can also do a one-hand stand on his tummy... love him to pieces. Thank you, Irina, for handmade matching sweaters. We went to a National Harbor Children's museum once again and did some embroidery. Sunday best in a dress that still fits... Nana gave it to Sonia last time we were in Southern Cali.At our ward activity we got a photo with some cool dancers from Ghana. Sonia tried some hats while shopping at TJ Max. We couldn't get one thing Sonia really wanted... a little smiley car was not in a set and no begging from me or Sonia was quite enough to convince them to sell it to us

Cooking

Last week we made it to the bishop's store house and got some white and red hard wheat... Jeremy grinds it into flour and I usually bake the bread. Here is a loaf of my making that went really well with cheese soup.

Jeremy found a bread machine book at Marshal's the other day and what do you know, he got into bread making... last week he was caught reading recipes and making two loafs of bread. Here is his first try... it was delicious and let me just say it is a pleasure to eat something of not my making!

I also made my first granola and it was tasty... I made a few changes adding whole wheat flakes, flaked flax seed and omitting coconut because i don't really like it.

Latest of Feo... he grabs anything within his reach, drools all over and tastes all things that can fit into his mouth. Feo is about four months old on these photos...

At the Children's Museum we got to do some weaving... Sonia and papa had good time exploring a beehive. Jeremy tried on a cool Beehive master outfit. Feo listened to the little bird noises and played with Sonia and papa...

First Sonia would squeeze a bird inside of a bag, birds would give out a natural call and we would try guessing what bird it was. Then she would take a bird out show it to Feo and match it with a picture by the bird nest. We could stay there and play for hours.

My Valentine

Valentines should be more than a day: perhaps a week, a month or how about a life ? ;-) Jeremy's thoughtfulness touched my heart. Yesterday I was busy making dinner when I saw him walking through the snow with a giant red rose ;-) and Russian long stem cut roses. A huge rose balloon followed Jeremy into the house... Feo gazed at his father and a balloon with admiration for all things new. Jeremy assured him that little Feo's time will come and he will get a balloon for his sweetheart some day... We went to a library to see a puppeteer with a shoe fly and her friend, sock... Last three logs... we couldn't find any more wood at any store last week

Sunday at home

"Look outside! All cars are covered with snow!"

Magically old world disappeared in the three feet of heavy white snow. Our stake authorized us to hold a sacrament meeting at our homes... it was so sweet to gather at the kitchen table with my husband and two children ;-)

Then Jeremy took Sonia and Mischa for a walk and they were gone for more than an hour. Sonia my little toddler wanted to go on and on leaving her little footprints in the snow.

Jeremy sored himself with digging our car out... it took a while and we all had to come out and help him.

Nice hot chocolate after good dinner finished our Sunday.

I spoke with a friend on her way to Bahamas. I told her how excited I was for her and she laughed saying "have fun being stuck in the snow." The truth of the matter is that I would much rather be in my little home covered with snow and nowhere to go than bake in the hot sun. Well, it is just how I am.

We wished to see a Blue Jay this morning. We have not seen one at our feeder for a long time. Voila, at dinner this beautiful blue bird came to eat with us.

Agency

Love the snow... missed it whole time we lived in Southern Cali. In my perfect Heaven there will be snow and thunder storms ;-) Heavy snow quiets the noise making everything clean and white. Even dirty Mischa who can't be washed since it is too cold to hose him outside, got his snow bath today.

Sonia found her sun hat and matching trousers and refused to put on much more. I suggested she would venture in the snow so she added one shoe to her outfit. She went out ;-) I love that she will have a picture of herself "doing something hard" and braving one of the all times three heavy snow falls in DC area.

Jeremy went to feed the birds, then shoveled the thigh-deep snow. We huddled together and enjoyed being stuck under one roof. Naps, balloon fight, hot chocolate and memories that can't be tarnished away.
Last week:

We celebrated Jeremy's birthday with Gershwin at the National Art Museum and NYC Opera. It was a free performance during lunch time where Sonia and Feo could come with us. Then we had a surprise party with good friends, dinner and a yummy torte.

We played with clay and Sonia made a butterfly. Sonia wanted to hols it and play with it. I told her about the clay and that we would need a very hot fire to make it stronger. She asked for fire... I told her her Babulya used to have an oven with that kind of fire but I don't. So the butterfly didn't last.

My two darlings on the stairway at home.Sonia and her bunny.

After a long day at work resting by the fire

Making an apple pie for dinner.

Hard working pin and hands

Snow is on the way

Well, such is life... poor Feo won't be blessed this Sunday in Utah. We loaded our car last night with all the luggage only to find out our flight has been cancelled and there will be no flights until Monday. I wanted to cry and so I did ;-) here is a quick update:

Sonia still fits in the laundry bascket....Feo is growing quick.He plays with old Sonia's cow reaching and grabbing with his liitle hands.

We made some cute pinguins at the library.